Laced boot or shoe.



E. FORBES.

LAGED BOOT 0R SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1911.

1,088,067, Patented Feb, 24, 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (XL-'ASHINUTON; n. c.

EDWARD FORBES, 015 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIAQ LAGED BOOT on SHOE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD FORBES, a citizenof the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of LosAngeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful LacedBoot or Shoe, of which the following is a specification.

An object of the invention is to provide a lacing which will have theadvantages of securing a perfect fit around the ankle and over theinstep and which is susceptible of more rapid lacing and unlacing thanthe ordinary laced shoe.

The invention has for its object an easy and rapid method of adjustingand fastening the shoes onto, and loosening them from the feet and to doaway with the tedious process of lacing and unlacing the shoe string orcord through eyelets and around lacing studs as at present in use, thusincreasing the convenience for all and especially for elderly or stoutpersons who may find it irksome to maintain a stooping position longenough to lace and fasten the shoe string.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe constructed in accordance withthis invention in one of its forms, the lace for each opening being asingle strand and fastened. It is to be understood that a plurality ofsuch strands may be used in ataller boot. Fig. 2 is a view of the sameshoe open with the laces loosened. Fig. 8 is a diagram of the strandshown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the buckle and afragment of one of the laces shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is afragmental plan of the shoe front with buckle and part of the lacingstrands in fastened position. Fig. 6 is a fragmental elevation of oneside of a shoe provided with the invention applied in a different formwherein three strands are used. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevationshowing one of the retaining studs with a lace in place. Fig. 8 is asection on line 00 Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the retainingstud before attachment to the shoe.

In the practical application of this invention as shown, I use a shoe orboot 1 having openings in the form of dual and opposite slits 2, 3, inthe sides of its ankle and preferably in the rear part thereof as shownin Figs. 1, 2 and 6, so as to be behind the ankle joint when the slitsare closed as in Fig. l.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 3, 1911.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914. Serial No. 618,703.

The dual arrangement of the slits 2, 3, provides a better fit of theshoe to the wearers.

foot than is afforded by a single side slit, and the dual arrangementalso provides a larger opening than would a single slit, thus maximizlngthe ease and comfort with which the shoe may be put on and off. Meansare provided for expeditiously lacing up the openings formed by theslits and for this purpose a lacing string or cord which may compriseone or more strands is provided. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the form in whicha single strand 4 is employed is shown for each opening; said lacingcord 4 is attached to the shoe on the front side and near the bottom ofthe opening by suitable means as the retaining stud 5, said cord is thenpassed through an eyelet 6 at the back part of the opening opposite theretaining stud 5 and is thence carried through a slot like hole 7 in alacing plate 8 which may first have been secured by a buckle 9, or othersuitable means, to the front of the shoe 1 and at the top thereof. Saidcord is then passed from the slot 7 through a second eyelet 10 at theback of the opening from which it is carried through the opposing eyelet11 011 the inside of the shoe and thence up toward the mouth 12 of theshoe and to the neXt eyelet 18 above on the same side of the openingwith the retaining stud 5 and the eyelet 11, thence through the eyelet13 and across the opening and through the fifth eyelet 14, thence to andthrough a second slot like hole 15 in the lace plate 8 and back throughthe neXt higher eyelet 16 at the back of the slit, thence to theopposing front eyelet 17, thence up to the neXt front eyelet 18, thencethrough the next back eyelet 19 and to a third slot like hole 20 in thelacing plate, thence to the next back eyelet 21 and thence to theretaining stud 22 where the other end of the strand or cord is fastened.

The lacing plate 8 is provided with an orifice 23 to catch in ahook-like arm 24 of a lever provided with a long grooved arm 25 andpivoted by a pivot 26 to a fulcrum 27 which may be formed of two armsthrough which the pivot 26 extends and between which the lever isfulcrumed. The relation of the pivot 26, fulcrum 27 and hook-like leverarm 24 is such as to bring the hook-like arm forward of the pivot whenthe lever is swung out and rearward of the pivot when the lever is swungin. The orifice 23 of the plate is adapted to slip over I the fulcrumarms 27 which are shaped like a hook so that by swinging the long arm 25of the lever outward to the back of the buckle and then bringing theorifice 23 of the plate over said arm and then returning the arm inwardto its latching position shown in solid lines in Fig. 4, the lacingplate is drawn forward, at the same time drawing the strands through theeyelts and thus closing the slit whereupon the tension of the strandswill lock the lever in its latching position, thus avoiding the use of aspring-locked lever which is liable to be turned out of latchingposition by excessive tension of the strands caused by movement of thefoot in walking, etc. By. this means both of the slits may be closedvery quickly and the tension of the opposing strands will be equalizedso that pressure will be applied to draw the ankle of the shoe smoothlyover the instep. By providing fastening means at the front of the anklefor the lacings of both sides of the shoe the convenience of fasteningthe lacings is increased.

To remove the shoe, all that is necessary is to reverse the levers ofthe buckle and allow the lacing plates to slip 0a. The operation ofremoving the shoe'will cause the lacing cord to 'run easily through thesingle eyelet which holds each section or loop thereof, and the openingsof the shoe will expand sufficiently to allow the shoe to be easilywithdrawn from the foot .as by drawing the heel of the shoe against thetoe of the other shoe or foot. 7

In the form shown in Fig. 6 three retaining studs 51, 52 and 53 andeyelets 30, 31 and 32 alternate therewith are applied to the shoe at thefront edge of-the slit, while on the opposite or back side of the slit anumber of eyelets equal to the aggregate of eyelets and retaining studson the front side areprovided. The strand 33 is fastened in theretaining stud 51 at the bottom of the slit and is passed through thefirst rear eyelet 34, thence across the slit to the first front eyelet30, thence across the slit to the second back eyelet 35 and thencethrough the top back eyelet 36. The second strand 37 is fastened in thesecond retaining stud 52 and passed thence across the slit through thethird back eyelet 3S, thence forward across the slit to the second fronteyelet 31, thence across the slit to the fourth back eyelet 39 andthence up inside the shoe and through the top back eyelet 36. The thirdstrand 40 is fastened at one end :to the retaining stud 53 and is ledthence across the slit through the fifth back eyelet 41, thence forwardacross the slit through the top front eyelet 32 and thence backwardacross the slit and through the top back eyelet 36. The three strands33, 37 and 40 are fastened together as by the knot 42 at the ends thatwould otherwise be free and when it is desired to close the slit, theknotted strands will be drawn through the eyelets on both sides of theshoe and may then be brought forward in front and fastened at the ankleby suitable means as by the buckle 9 in Figs. 1 to 5. The retaining studmay be formed of a cap provided near its top with 'a flange 43 andbetween its top and said flange with a perforation 44. The portion ofthe cap on the side of the flange from the opening is a short tube 45which may be set by an eyelet machine so as to clamp the material of theshoe in the same manner as with the usual eyelets. The retaining studsare arranged outwardly projecting from the shoe and are hollowexternally of the shoe and provided with the perforations 44 outside ofthe shoe, so that the knotted end of the lace is held in such a mannerthat it will not contact with the ankle upon which the shoe is laced andthe fastening can be effected in the manner specified.

The buckle may comprise acurved body 46 which may be fastened by a rivet47 to the material of the shoe; said body 46 terminates in the arms ofthe fulcrum 27 which are bent up from said body, as will clearly beunderstood by reference to Figs. 4 and 5.

I claim 1. The combination with a shoe having a closure slit in eachside of its upper, of lacing means for each of said slits, and meansmounted on the front of the shoe between said slits adapted to beengaged with said lacing means to draw said lacing means to close saidslits and thereafter retain said lacing means in engagement therewith.

2. The combination with a shoe having a closure slit in its upper andeyes on each side of and adjacent said slit, of a lacing plate providedwith an orifice and with holes, a lacing fastened at its ends to theshoe and led in loops through said eyes and said holes, and means on theupper adapted to be engaged with said lacing plate through said orificeto retain said plate in engagement therewith with the lacing drawn toclose the slit.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 27th day of March, 1911.

EDIVARD FORBES.

In presence of- JAMES R. TOWNSEND, L. BELLE RICE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patcntu.

- Washington, D. G.

